Baton Rouge Mayor Is No-Show at Alton Sterling’s Funeral

Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

NOT A GOOD LOOK

07.15.16 4:24 PM ET

Kip Holden still hasn’t called the family of the black man who was killed by his police department 10 days ago.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — Mayor Kip Holden didn’t attend Alton Sterling’s funeral on Friday, continuing his track record of being a no-show throughout the biggest thing to hit his city in years.

Strangely, the mayor’s staff said that no one currently in his office could officially confirm or deny if Holden attended, and refused to provide phone numbers to reach communications staffers who might have an answer.

Hundreds of people, including staff for Gov. John Bel Edwards, who himself was out of town for the National Governors Conference, and U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, gathered at for Sterling’s funeral ten days after he was killed by two white police officers. In all that time, Mayor Holden hasn’t even called the Sterling family. President Obama called the family on Tuesday.

In fact, Holden spent several days in Washington, D.C. lobbying for transportation funding immediately after the shooting while protesters clashed with cops and the Justice Department began investing his own cops.

“The mayor did not offer his condolences to the family,” Gary Chambers, the funeral’s master of ceremonies toldThe Advocate. “He said recently that it would be inappropriate for him to attend, and I can’t say that I disagree.”

Protesters have been calling for Holden to resign, even chanting outside of his home. He refused to resign, saying he’d finish out his term in office. “It has been hell,” Holden recently said.

Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

A gospel choir opened Sterling’s funeral, with most of the audience dancing to the music.

“Clap like you know Jesus,” said the leader of a prayer chant, singing a prayer for people who have lost family.

Still, it was impossible to separate Sterling’s death from the politics surrounding it.

“The injustices have gone on for many years,” said his cousin, Alton Sterling Jr. “Our great grandmothers were the property of our great grandfathers.”

“Still today, we ask, when will justice find us?”

The first speech to get a major crowd positive reaction came from a Nation of Islamrepresentative who denounced black leaders who had taken part in desegregation and told young people to protest peacefully.

Meanwhile, the politicians who attended were pushing for peaceful protest.

“We have unjust laws,” said city councilwoman Chauna Banks, criticizing white police officers killing black men, but “if you haven’t registered to vote, don’t protest, don’t march.” One election coming up is for Mayor. “This is an election year for a new mayor,” she said. “You may clap.”